Balsora was the capital of a kingdom long tributary¹（支流，附属国） to the caliph. During the time of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid the king of Balsora, who was his cousin, was called Zinebi. Not thinking one vizir（元老） enough for the administration of his estates he had two, named Khacan and Saouy. 

 

Khacan was kind, generous, and liberal, and took pleasure in obliging, as far as in him lay, those who had business with him. Throughout the entire kingdom there was no one who did not esteem² and praise him as he deserved. 

 

Saouy was quite a different character, and repelled³ everyone with whom he came in contact; he was always gloomy, and, in spite of his great riches, so miserly that he denied himself even the necessaries of life. What made him particularly detested⁴ was the great aversion（讨厌的人） he had to Khacan, of whom he never ceased to speak evil to the king. 

 

One day, while the king amused himself talking with his two vizirs and other members of the council, the conversation turned on female slaves. While some declared that it sufficed for a slave to be beautiful, others, and Khacan was among the number, maintained that beauty alone was not enough, but that it must be accompanied by wit, wisdom, modesty⁵, and, if possible, knowledge. 

 

The king not only declared himself to be of this opinion, but charged Khacan to procure⁶ him a slave who should fulfil all these conditions. Saouy, who had been of the opposite side, and was jealous of the honour done to Khacan, said, "Sire, it will be very difficult to find a slave as accomplished⁷ as your Majesty⁸ desires, and, if she is to be found, she will be cheap if she cost less than 10,000 gold pieces." 

 

"Saouy," answered the king, "you seem to find that a very great sum. For you it may be so, but not for me." 

 

And forthwith he ordered his grand treasurer⁹, who was present, to send 10,000 gold pieces to Khacan for the purchase of the slave. 

 

As soon, then, as Khacan returned home he sent for the dealers¹¹ in female slaves, and charged them directly they had found such a one as he described to inform him. They promised to do their utmost（极限）, and no day passed that they did not bring a slave for his inspection¹² but none was found without some defect. 

 

At length, early one morning, while Khacan was on his way to the king's palace, a dealer¹⁰, throwing himself in his way, announced eagerly that a Persian merchant, arrived late the previous evening, had a slave to sell whose wit and wisdom were equal to her incomparable beauty. 

 

Khacan, overjoyed at this news, gave orders that the slave should be brought for his inspection on his return from the palace. The dealer appearing at the appointed hour, Khacan found the slave beautiful beyond his expectations, and immediately gave her the name of "The Fair Persian." 

 

Being a man of great wisdom and learning, he perceived in the short conversation he had with her that he would seek in vain another slave to surpass her in any of the qualities required by the king, and therefore asked the dealer what price the merchant put upon her. 

 

"Sir," was the answer, "for less than 10,000 gold pieces he will not let her go; he declares that, what with masters for her instruction, and for bodily exercises, not to speak of clothing and nourishment¹³, he has already spent that sum upon her. She is in every way fit to be the slave of a king; she plays every musical instrument, she sings, she dances, she makes verses, in fact there is no accomplishment¹⁴ in which she does not excel." 

 

Khacan, who was better able to judge of her merits than the dealer, wishing to bring the matter to a conclusion, sent for the merchant, and said to him, "It is not for myself that I wish to buy your slave, but for the king. Her price, however, is too high." 

 

"Sir," replied the merchant, "I should esteem it an honour to present her to his Majesty, did it become a merchant to do such a thing. I ask no more than the sum it has cost me to make her such as she is." 

 

Khacan, not wishing to bargain, immediately had the sum counted out, and given to the merchant, who before withdrawing said: 

 

"Sir, as she is destined¹⁵ for the king, I would have you observe that she is extremely tired with the long journey, and before presenting her to his Majesty you would do well to keep her a fortnight in your own house, and to see that a little care is bestowed¹⁶ upon her. The sun has tanned her complexion¹⁷, but when she has been two or three times to the bath, and is fittingly dressed, you will see how much her beauty will be increased." 

 

Khacan thanked the merchant for his advice, and determined¹⁸ to follow it. He gave the beautiful Persian an apartment near to that of his wife, whom he charged to treat her as befitting a lady destined for the king, and to order for her the most magnificent garments. 

 

Before bidding adieu to the fair Persian, he said to her: "No happiness can be greater than what I have procured¹⁹ for you; judge for yourself, you now belong to the king. I have, however, to warn you of one thing. I have a son, who, though not wanting in sense, is young, foolish, and headstrong, and I charge you to keep him at a distance." 

 

The Persian thanked him for his advice, and promised to profit by it. 

 

Noureddin--for so the vizir's son was named--went freely in and out of his mother's apartments. He was young, well-made and agreeable, and had the gift of charming all with whom he came in contact. As soon as he saw the beautiful Persian, though aware that she was destined for the king, he let himself be carried away by her charms, and determined at once to use every means in his power to retain her for himself. The Persian was equally captivated by Noureddin, and said to herself: "The vizir does me too great honour in buying me for the king. I should esteem myself very happy if he would give me to his son." 

 

Noureddin availed himself of every opportunity to gaze upon（注视） her beauty, to talk and laugh with her, and never would have left her side if his mother had not forced him. 

 

Some time having elapsed（消逝）, on account of the long journey, since the beautiful Persian had been to the bath, five or six days after her purchase the vizir's wife gave orders that the bath should be heated for her, and that her own female slaves should attend her there, and after-wards should array her in a magnificent dress that had been prepared for her. 

 

Her toilet completed, the beautiful Persian came to present herself to the vizir's wife, who hardly recognised her, so greatly was her beauty increased. Kissing her hand, the beautiful slave said: "Madam, I do not know how you find me in this dress that you have had prepared for me; your women assure me that it suits me so well that they hardly knew me. If it is the truth they tell me, and not flattery, it is to you I owe the transformation²⁰." 

 

"My daughter," answered the vizir's wife, "they do not flatter you. I myself hardly recognised you. The improvement is not due to the dress alone, but largely to the beautifying effects of the bath. I am so struck by its results, that I would try it on myself."

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